tvanuke

January 31, 2011

Masoud Bajestani, one of Tennessee Valley Authority's top nuclear managers in charge of completing the Unit 2 reactor at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, left the plant Jan. 28 when his five-year contract for the Watts Bar project was ended after less than four years. TVA Communications Vice President David Mould told local news outlets Bajestani's departure "was not related to his work on the Watts Bar project."

TVA Senior Project manager Marie Gillman was appointed interim manager for the Watts Bar project, according to news reports. Mould was quoted as saying the change in leadership shouldn't delay the utility's plan to finish the new reactor and begin generating power at the new unit in 2013.

Bajestani previously helped direct the restart and rebuilding of TVA's Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. He was appointed in 2007 to direct the completion of the unfinished Unit 2 reactor at Watts Bar.